Preparing For First Muay Thai Fight! Help!

Been training muay thai for about 4 years. Our club organises various fights for its members and I have taken the plunge and agreed to an interclub fight on 18 days notice.

It is only going to 1 1/2 minute rounds and 3 rounds and no elbows or knees to the head. 16oz gloves and headgear a must.

Know I know its not much but I want my first fight to go well.

With 18 days to go do I train as usual or do I up my training? I have cut 1 & 1/2 stone over last 3 months (do I cut more?). I currently spar 3 minute rounds (do I keep doing it up to fight & risk injury?). I didnt want to over train but I do want to be on top form.

Also on the day, how long before fight do I eat & what do I eat?

I know it is not a big deal but it means a lot to me! Any help would be appreciated.

This is a smoker right? In my experience its best to just do enough to keep fit.

you've got over 2 weeks so get alot of real light sparring done in the first week so you feel good about your technique

week leading up to the fight focus on padwork and drills so you don't risk getting hurt, don't focus on anything new in your drills focus on things you're good at and making them sharper and better. in terms of strategy, its fine to have one but you should take into account that there's alot of things they can do out there so just try and play to your strengths.

EDIT: eat after the weigh in (if time allows) pasta and chicken or something. enough that you aren't hungry but not so much that you're full. you probably don't need to cut anymore weight either

Eat heaps of complex carbs with clean protein, avoid anything that might give you an upset stomach. Avoid food you don't usually eat, you don't want an upset stomach. It's important to keep your liquids up through the day obviously, and by liquids i mean water not gatorade. I also avoid coffee through the day since it has a laxative effect, but often you'll be shitting all day without even drinking any.

Stop eating meals 2 hours before the fight but bring along a banana, protein shake or energy bar. Or you can eat right up to the fight, take one knee and throw up all over the ring like my last opponent.

"Boxing is the art of hitting an opponent from the furthest distance away, exposing the least amount of your body while getting into position to punch with maximum leverage and not getting hit."
Kenny Weldon

Damn 1 1/2 minute rounds would be so sweet. Or horrible if you're the type that takes time to get into step. Are you getting 1min breaks?

If you've been working hard and paying attention during the past 4 years, you should be fine. Especially as you're doing 3 minute rounds and it's only 1.5min rounds. But I would still up my training and work hard regardless. You don't ever want there to be a doubt in your mind that you didn't train your hardest. That is, you want to approach it as you lost because you were outclassed, not because you didn't do enough cardio, padwork, sparring, or whatever.

Don't cut weight unless you actually have to.

Maybe even take the day off(or the day before that) depending on when and what time it is. But it really depends on your body. If anything, your coaches will know best. Assuming you have a good gym.

A few days after I posted this I sustained a nasty knee injury in sparing from a few kicks by a good fighter (well at least much better than me!!).

A lump swelled up next to my knee cap about the size of a big apple (about the same time I hit the floor!). I kept training on it and was told it was fluid and would bruise badly. I iced it and used tiger balm when I got home,

I rested for 4 days and tried some light lifting including legs (lump now spread out across and round my knee cap by this point). That night I woke up in extreme pain 3 or 4 times (like a cramping sensation but worse).

It took almost a week for the bruising to come out and I am now only just about walking without a limp, the cramping pains have also stopped.

I cant support my weight properly on it still but will return to training next week and see how it goes.

So basically Im out of the fight but hope to go in for next ones which I am told should be in a couple of months.

I am so gutted right now and getting real bored not being able to train!!